Thank you gn18, that is a great suggestion (and easy on the checkbook).

Sammy has a window in his room that looks out to a huge oak tree and it lets lots of light in (edit: and he has a chair and a perch that he can opt to perch on to look out the window, but also has the option to hang out where he can't see out the window if he chooses [ie if he wants to hang out in his cage, take a nap, etc]). We pull the blinds up tight to allow as much light as possible (edit: and to disallow chewing on them).

Many of you know, that Sammie has been collared for years. We still can't take the collar off him without him immediately chewing his chest again. He has been in an E-Collar. We tried a plastic collar, but he hated it, and refused to eat when he had it on. A friend of mine has a mutilating Galah and the vet gave her a new sort of collar. She says it is working.

I think some birds pluck as a nervous habit...sort of like a human biting their fingernails. It may not turn into a habit (that's why you can try a collar as a temporary fix), but if they chew, you may not be able to keep the bird busy enough in a cage to keep the bird distracted enough. It's sort of an out of control grooming. Foraging toys are helpful.

Sammy went to get the extension attached to his collar on Saturday. He did not eat the rest of the day. I hand fed him some goodies on Sunday just to make sure he ate, but my vet told me to stop that because he has to get used to taking care of himself with the collar on. He did not eat all day yesterday but finally, this afternoon some time between this morning and lunch time, he ate on his own. Right now he is eating also. I know he is very hungry, poor thing, but I am glad he has figured out how to eat because he needs to learn how to adapt.

Sammy has begun developing some kind of lump where the collar rubs the back of his neck. The only thing I can do is keep an eye on it for now. He doesn't seem to react when I gently push on it.

This collar conraption is a nightmare. Please, if you guys can think of any alternatives to deter chewing but achieve comfort, I am all ears.

Sara, is there anyway you can post a picture of the collar you are using? Maybe it can be modified somehow to make it more comfortable yet still effective? Try and post or send me an email of a picture of him with it on...

Oh Sara, poor Sammy! That collar is HUGE! Dang! He doesn't look that scruffy to me, he looks handsome, although miserable in that collar! I was hoping there would be a picture of the area he is plucking. I couldn't really see the tail area....

My camera is not that precise when it comes to close up pictures, as that is what I'd need to show the area he is chewing (not plucking).

I don't know how close Lilly lets you get to her tail, but if you can closely examine how her tail feathers grow out of her body, imagine this: chewed up blood feathers, bloody/scabbed up stumps and feather follicles.

Hi guys, I took Sammy in to the vet today because the bump on his neck had turned into an open would because the collar was rubbing against it. The vet removed the extension to lighten the weight. We'll give it time to heal but we're going to have to think of something clever to restrain him from chewing.